Robin van Persie has arrived at Manchester United's training ground to sign his new £12million-a-year contract.

The Dutch international underwent a medical in Manchester on Thursday night before spending the night in a Cheshire hotel.

It is understood that the 29-year-old was then taken to United's training ground at 9am to meet his new team-mates and sign the astonishing £250,000-a-week deal that will give him parity at the club with Wayne Rooney.

Van Persie is expected to train with United on Saturday and go straight in to the team for the season's opener at Everton on Monday.

The 29-year-old's signing is expected to be announced on Friday morning from Arsenal for a fee of £24million, before the 12pm registration deadline for the weekend's Barclays Premier League games.

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All smiles: Robin van Persie has arrived at Bridgewater Hospital to undergo his Manchester United medical

All smiles: Robin van Persie has arrived at Bridgewater Hospital to undergo his Manchester United medical

United fought off competition from
Manchester City and Juventus to bring the Dutch striker to Old Trafford
and hope he will be able to feature against Everton on Monday.

Ferguson
has spoken about the new-look attacking options of Van Persie, Wayne
Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez, and the comparisons with the
1999 set of Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar
Solskjaer.

Speaking at a
press conference, Ferguson said: 'They (Wayne Rooney and Robin van
Persie) are two fantastic players and it will be great to have both of
them. It gives us more strength and more combinations up front.

'In 1999 I had Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the four best strikers in Europe.

It is a fantastic collection of
players and hopefully I pick the right combinations It is great to have a
player of Robin van Persie's qualities to come into the squad. I am
very pleased.'

Even
one of the players whose place is threatened expressed his delight,
with Welbeck keen to welcome Van Persie into the United fold.

'It is a massive boost to the club if Robin van Persie joins us,' he said. 'I am really looking forward to playing with him.

United front: Van Persie made it clear he would not sign a new deal at Arsenal

'His
agent is in discussions with (United chief executive) David Gill right
about now. We hope all the things will be tied up, although sometimes
medicals do take a bit longer. I am sure he will be available for
Monday's game.'

Wenger has the best
part of two weeks to spend some of the money before the transfer window
is closed. He said on French TV on Wednesday night: ‘It’s sad to lose a
player of his quality. He had only one year left on his contract so we
didn’t have the choice.’

Asked who he would recruit, Wenger said: 'We already signed Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud.'

Final hurdle: Sir Alex Ferguson has been busy in the transfer market this summer

Van Persie is the first Arsenal
player to join United since Viv Anderson in 1987 and the move has riled
Gunners fans, who took to Twitter to abuse him.

United are understood to have agreed a
£15m downpayment for last season’s Footballer of the Year and Players’
Player — who scored 30 Premier League goals for last season. That will
rise to £24m depending on appearances. Van Persie is expected to sign a
four-year contract worth over £200,000 a week.

A statement on United’s website said:
‘Manchester United is pleased to announce it has reached agreement with
Arsenal for the transfer of Robin van Persie. The deal is subject to a
medical and the agreement of personal terms.’

In signing Van Persie, United manager
Sir Alex Ferguson has laid down a clear marker ahead of the new season.
It is the first time the club have paid for a big name since Dimitar
Berbatov from Tottenham for £30.75m in 2008.

Having decided two or three years ago
they would not sign players over the age of 27, United have signified
just how far they are prepared to go to wrest the title back from City.

Talisman: Van Persie bagged the vast majority of Arsenal's goals last season

VIDEO: Ferguson confident van Persie will pass medical in time for Monday